Monoclonal antibodies and method of immunizing therewith

Abstract

A method of distinguishing subsets within a plurality of human cells including producing a monoclonal antibody to a non-human primate cell, contacting the monoclonal antibody with the human cells, and distinguishing the subsets on the basis of different degrees of reactivity with the monoclonal antibody.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Hybridoma cells identical to those of the cell line identified as ATCC Deposit No. HB 8703. 
     
     
       2. A monoclonal antibody which binds specifically to a non-human primate cell, said monoclonal antibody being further characterized in that it binds specifically with a specific antigenic determinant on a first subset of human T4+ cells, which cells are capable of inducing, in the presence of pokeweed mitogen, a degree of IgG secretion in human B cells,   it does not bind specifically with a second subset of human T4+ cells, which cells are capable of inducing, in the presence of pokeweed mitogen, a lower degree of IgG secretion in human B cells, said degree of IgG secretion of said first subset being approximately 15 times greater than that of said second subset,   it is of the IgGl isotype, and   it is produced by murine hybridoma cell line identified as ATCC HB 8703.   
     
     
       3. A monoclonal antibody as claimed in claim 2 in which said antigenic determinant has a molecular weight of approximately 130,000-140,000 daltons under reducing conditions, and two molecular weights between approximately 125,000 and 135,000 daltons under non-reducing conditions. 
     
     
       4. A monoclonal antibody as claimed in claim 2 in which said specific binding and lack of binding are determined by indirect immunofluorescence. 
     
     
       5. A method of distinguishing a first subset of human T4+ cells from a second subset of human T4+ cells, said method comprising contacting a set of said T4+ cells containing both said subsets with a monoclonal antibody produced by the hybrid cell line having the identifying characteristics of ATCC HB 8703 to permit said monoclonal antibody to selectively bind specifically to both said subsets of T4+ cells, and   subjecting said set of T4+ cells to sorting based on indirect immunofluorescence.   
     
     
       6. A method as claimed in claim 5 in which said first subset is of T4+ cells which are capable of inducing, in the presence of pokeweed mitogen, a degree of IgG secretion in human B cells and said second subset is of T4+ cells which are capable of inducing, in the presence of pokeweed mitogen, a lower degree of IgG secretion in human B cells, said degree of IgG secretion of said first subset being approximately 15 times greater than that of said second subset.